Coal gathering and loading machine



1925 4 sheets-sheet Q INVENTOR. 71570029 n ATTORNEY.

W. E. COX

COAL GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed July l5 May 4, 1926.

A Waffe May 4 1926. v

w. E. cox

COAL GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE Fileddul A TTORNE Y.

w. E. cox

COAL GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE May 1926.

Filed July 13, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

- I N VEN TOR. lib/e755? 00X,-

A TTORNEY.

May 4 1926. 1,583,665

W. E. COX

CAL GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed July 13, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR.

Patented May 4, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER E. COX, F PRINCETON, INDIANA.

COAL GATHERING AND LOADING MACHINE.

Application led July 13, 1925. Serial No. 43,245.

I expeditiously gathering and loading coal under ground.

A further object of the invention is to v provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth,

a machine of the class referred to,capable of being adjusted to variousactive positions whereby the gathering and loading operations can be hadover a large area of the coal vein or bed.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth,

a coal gathering and loading machine, which is comparativ y simple inits construction and arrangement, strong, durable, comp-act, adjustable,having means for conveying it from point to point, thoroughly eiiicientin its use, conveniently operated, and comparatively inexpensive to setup.

view, the invention' consists of the novel construction, combination andarran ement of parts, as hereinafter more speci cally `described andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodimentof the invention, but it is to be `understood that changes, variationsand modifications can be resorted to which come within the apron.

carriage. With the foregomg andv other objects in 1 Figure 4 is afragmentary view in plan, of a portion ofthe gathering mechanism.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5, Figure 4.

Figure 6` is a perspective view of the Figure 7 is a fragmentary view inperspective, ofa conveyor.

A coal gathering and loading machine, in

accordance with this invention, travels during its operation upon a pairof track rails l, 2, and includes front and rear conveyor mechanismscapable of being simultaneously and independently adjusted, a -gatheringmechanism carried at the forward end of the front conveyor mechanism, anapron assoc iating with the front conveyor and gathering mechanisms, an;adjustable lower supporting` element, an adjustable upper supiportngelement, the lower element constitutlng a support for the upper elementand for the front conveyor mechanism, the upper element providing asupport for the rear conveyor mechanism, a travelling truck or carriageforming a common support for said mechanisms and elements, operatingmeans respectively forV the front and rear conveyor mechanisms and forthe gathering mechanism, and driving means for the truck or The machinefurther includes other elements of structure to be, hereinafter pointedout. The machine is designed primarily for working under ground and whenoperating gat-hers the coal and conveys it so that the coal can be.loaded in a car or elevator.

The truck comprises a body portion 3 of the desired len th and which hasthe forward portion o its top bevelled downwardly as at 4, towards theforward end of the' truck.- Journalled in the body portion I3 is a pairof spaced axles 5, 6, each carrying v a pair of fwheels 7. Extendinglongitudinally of the body portion, centrally thereof, is a worm sha t 8piovided with a pair of spaced Worms 9, meshing with worm gears 10,carried by the axles 5 and 6. The wheels 7 travel on the track rails l,2 and when' the shaft 8 -is actuated the truck is driven. Carried by thebody portion 3 is mechanism 12 controlled by a pawl and lever mechanism13. The top of the body portion 3 has secured thereto aci'rcula'rbearing plate 14 provided with a collar 15, and said plate 14 forms anelement of a turn table to be hereinafter referred to. Any suitablemeans is provided for controlling the operations of he motor 11. Thelower supporting element is connected `to and carried by the truck. Theconnection between the lower supporting element and the truck is hadthrough the medium of the turn table of Awhich the plate 14 forms anelement.

' The plate 14 is suitably fixed to the truck,

and arranged in superposed relation with respect to said plate 14 is aplate 16 provided with a collar 17 which rides on the collar 15. Theplate 16 is maintained in spaced relation with respect to the plate 14by depending pairs of brackets 18 and bearing rollers 19. Each pair ofbrackets 18 carries a bearing roller 19 and the latter travels on theupper face of the plate 14. The plate 16 is coupled to the plate 14 by avertically disposed pivot bolt 20, extending through the collars 15 and17 and provided with a securing nut 21. The collar 17 shifts on thecollar 15 when the plate 16 is revolved. The elements 14 to 21 bothinclusive provide a turn table whereby the lower supporting element lcanbe adjusted relative to the truck and the plate 16 forms a part of thelower supporting element, as said plate 16 is xedly secured to the lowerface of the body portion 22 of said lowersupporting element. The bodyportion 22 is rectangular in plan and projects forwardly with respect tothe forward end of the truck. Theforward part of the v'body portion 22-is of triangular contour, as at 23, and the inclined portion 24 of saidypart 23 op-poses and is spaced from the bevelled portion 4 at theforward end of the top of the truck. Secured to the forward end of thebody portion 22,'as well as depending therefrom is a support 25 for apurpose to be presently referred to.

The upper supporting element is positioned in superposed spaced relationwith respect to the lower supporting element and comprises a rectangularskeleton body portion 26. Interposed between the upper and lowersupporting elements is a turn table referred to generally by thereference character 27, and which is constructed in the same manner asthat referred to with respect to the turn table interposed between thelower supporting element and truck.

The front conveyor mechanism is connected with and carried by t-he lowersupporting element, and said mechanism includes two pairs of channelirons forming housings for the conveyor chains as well as supports forthe idler rolls for the conveyor chains. Thev channel irons of oneI pairare indicated at 28, 29, and those of the other pair at 30, 31. One pairof channel irons is spaced from the other as well as being oppositelydisposed with respect thereto. The channel iron 28 opposes the channeliron 30, and the 4channel iron 29 opposes the channel iron 31. Thechannel irons 29 and 31 extend upwardly and rearwardly at an inclinationfor the major portion of their length,

as at 32, and the rear or remaining portion of the length of each ofsaid channel irons, as indicated at 33, is disposed in parallelism withrespect to the lower supporting element and also extends over theforward end portion of 'the rear conveyor mechanism. The forward ends ofthe channel irons 29 and 30 are fixedly secured to the forward end ofthe lower supporting element, and the forward ends of said channel ironsextend into the forward end of the lower supporting element. See Figure1.

The channel irons 28 and 30 oppose each other, and the former isarranged in alignnient with the channel iron 29 to provide acontinuation of the latter, and a like arrangement is had with respectto the channel irons 30 and 31. The channel irons 28 and 30 extendforwardly with respect to the lower supporting element and at adownward' inclination,. and are p-ivotally connected to the forward endof said lower supporting element, as at 34, and by such connection theforward end of the front conveyorl mechanism can be elevated from theposition as shown in Figure 1. The means for elevating the forward endor forward section of the front conveyor mechanism, as well as forlowering said forward end or section, will be presently referred to. Thechannel irons 28 and 29 provide a housing for a conveyor chain, and thechannel irons 30 and 31 provide a housingffor a conyeyor chain. One ofthe conveyor chains is indicated at 35, Figure 1, and the other at 36,Figure 5. Each of the conveyor chains is of the link type, as indicatedat 37 in Figure 7, and the chains 35 and 36 have arranged therebetween,as well as connected therewith, an endlessk conveying belt 38 providedwith spaced transversely extending partition members 39. The belt 38 andpartition members are xedly secured to the chains by hold-fast devices40. The partition members 39 provide the belt throughout withcompartments 40.

The idler rolls for the conveyor chains are indicated at 41 and aresupported by the channel irons 28 to 31 both inclusive. Tensioning meansfor the chains and belt is indicated at 42 and is connected to the idlerroll at the rear end of the channel irons 29 and 31. The idler roll atthe forward ends of the channel irons 28 and 30 is indicated and has theshaft thereof extended at each end and provided with a sprocket pinion,and the said pinions are indicated at channel irons 29 and 31,intermediate the" ends thereof. lThe-shaft 46 is provided 'with a pairof sprocket pinions 47 which engage in the. chains 35 and 36 for thepurpose of driving them. The projecting ends of the shaft 46 carrypinions 48 which mesh with and are Vdriven from the gears 49 carried bya shaft 50, support-ed in hangers 51 depending from the'channel irons 29and 3l. The shaft 50, intermediate 'its ends, carries a worm pinion 52meshing with a worm 53 formed on the forwardly projecting end of theshaft 54 of ai motor 55, which is secured to the upper supportingelement'. Any suitable means can be employed for controlling theoperation of the motor 55.

Secured to the top throughout of the channel irons 28 and 30, as well asto the forward terminals of the bottom .of said irons, is a yoke-shapedapron provided at its forward end with a rearward extension incliningdownwardly for the major portion of its length. The apron consists of yafiat head 56 of substantial width and length and which has projectingrearwardly therefrom a pair of flat arms 57, 58 of substantial width andof a length to extend to the rear end of the channel irons 28 and 30.The head 56 andl arms 57 58 are mounted on and secured to the channelirons 28, 3() by thehold-fast devices 59. The inner edges ofthe arms 57,58 are flush with the inner edge of the top of the channel irons 28 and30. See Figure 3. The head 56, at the front thereof, merges into therearward extension and which is an integral part of the apron andcomprises a rearwardly extending downwardly inclined portion 6() and astraight portion v,61, which is positioned against the bottom of thechannel irons 28, 30, at the forward ends thereof, and further securedtherewith by the holdfast devices 62. The apron acts as a means toprotect the forward end of the front conveyor mechanism and to alsoreceive the coal as it is gathered. The gathered coal is conveyed to thehead 56 and shifted therefrom on the belt 38. The apron also constitutesa support for the gathering mechanism.

The gathering mechanism includes a pair of oppositely extending brackets63, 64, one of which is secured to and projects laterally from thechannel iron 28 and the otheiof which is secured to and projectslaterally from the channel iron 30. The brackets are Vformed withtubular free ends 65, and extending upwardly through one of said ends isa vertical shaft 66, and through the other tubular end 65 a verticalshaft 67.

Stop collars 68 are secured to the lower ends of said shafts below thebrackets. Each of said shafts extends upwardly through an arm of theapron. The openings in the arms, for the passage of said shafts, areindicated at 69 and are arranged in proximity to the head 56. Each ofthe arms of the yoke is formed with a vertically disposed lug 70 formedwith an opening 71, having a threaded wall, and said lugs are arrangedin advance of the openings 69. The head 56 in advance of the lug 7 0 1sprovided with openings 72.l The openings 72 are arrangedin alignmentwith the openings 69. The upper portion of the shaft 66, as well as theshaft 67 is of greater diameter thanthe lower portion thereof, asindicated at 73 in-Figure 5, and secured to the enlarged portion 73 ofeach of said shafts .is a sprocket pinion 74. Extending through each ofthe openings 72 is the reducedy terminal portion 75 of a headed bolt 76.The reduced portion 75 is provided with a securing nut 77 which abutsagainst the lower face of the head 56. Positioned on the head 56 is apair of slotted tensioning blocks 78, 79, through which .extend thebolts 7 6. Each block 78 is arranged forwardly of and in alignment withthe sprocket pinion 74, and mounted upon the aligning block and pinionis'a cover plate 80, through which extends a bolt 76 and one of theshafts 66 or 67, and each of said shafts is provided with a head 81which abuts against the outer face of the plate 80. The head of the bolt76 abuts against the plate 80. The blocks 78 are adjusted as well asmaintained in adjusted position by adjusting screws 82, which havethreaded engagement with the walls of the openings 71 in the lugs 70.See Figure 5.

The block 78 and that sprocket 74 which it aligns with are surrounded bya cutter vcarrying endless chain 83 provided with a series of spacedlaterally extending critters 84 forming coal gathering elements. Thechain 83 is of the link type and is operated through the medium of thesprocket pinion 74. The forward end of each block 78 is rounded, as at79. See Figure 4. The blocks 78 are adjusted for the purpose ofmaintaining the chains 83 taut. The cutters 84 are so set up that whenoperating they will travel in the direction of 'the arrow 85', Figure 4,whereby the coal will be conveyed towards the center of the head, aswell as moved therefrom rearwardly onto the forward end of the frontconveying mechanism. The cutters 84 have curved .free ends 85 whichextend forwardly. The shaft 66 as well as the shaft 67, intermediate itsends, isprovided with a worm gear 86, operated through the medium of aworm 87 carried by a shaft 88 journalled at one end in the hanger 89depending from one of the armsof the yoke and at its other end in abearing carried by a channel iron 28 or 30. The shaft 88 is providedwith a sprocket 90 operated by a link belt 91, driven from a sprocket 44or 45, carried by a projecting end of the shaft of the idler roll 43.

The gathering mechanism includes a pair of gathering devices provided bythe cutter chains and the cutters carried thereby together with theoperating means for the cutter chains. in opposite direct-ions withrespect to each other, but are simultaneously operated, dur- 'ing theoperation of the front conveyor mechanism. The gathering mechanism, aswell as the apron, bodily moves with the channel irons 28 and 30 whenthey are adjusted from and to the position shown in Figure 1, and theadjusting of said channel irons i's had through the medium of aninteriorly threaded tubular member 92, having one end pivotallyconnected, as at 93, to a bracket 94 which depends from the channelirons 28 and 30. Adjustably engaging in the other end of the tubularmember 92 is a threaded bar 95, having a universal joint connection 96with the shaft 97 of a motor 98, carried by the support 25. Theoperation of the motor can be controlled in any suitable manner. Owingto the manner of setting upl the members 92 and 95, they can be manuallyadjusted relatively to each other when desired, but preferably theadjustment is had on the operation of the motor 98. l

The rear conveyor mechanism has the forward portion thereof pivotallyconnected with the upper supporting element and extends under the rearend of the front conveyor mechanism. The forward end of the rearconveyor mechanism is positioned rearwardly with respect to the motor 55and said rear conveyor mechanism extends a substantial distance from therear ends of the upper and lower supporting elements and the rear end ofthe truck. The rear conveyor mechanism comprises a pair of spacedoppositely extending channel irons 99, 100, and each of which is formedwith a @wnwardly inclined intermediate portion 101 and a pair of endportions 102, 103, extending in parallel planes and with the end portion103 of materially greater length than the end portion 102, the latterbeing the forward end portion. The channel irons 99 and 100 constitutehousings for the endless conveyor chains 104, and journalled in saidhousings are spaced idler rolls 105 for the conveyor chains and belt106. The conveyor chains 104 and belt 106 are constructed in a mannershown in Figure 7 and transversely extending partition members 107 aresecured to the chains to provide the belt 106 throughout withcompartments in the same manner as that referred `to withrespect to thefront conveyor mechanism. The rear idler roll The gathering devicesoperate' 105 is provided with an ad usting4 mechapism 108 for keepingthe chains and belt aut.

Depending from the channel irons 99, 100, at the forward part of the endportion 103, are hangers 109 for supporting a motor 110 which can' becontrolled in any sutiable manner. The motor 110 is bodily carried withthe rear conveyor mechanism when the latter is adjusted. The conveyorchains 104 are operated from, the motor 110 by a driving mechanism 111,constructed and arranged in the same manner as the driving mechanism forthe front conveyor mechanism. The channel irons 99 and 100 are pivotallyconnected, as at 112, to provide for the swinging of the rear conveyormechanism at an inclination with respect to the upper supportingelement, and the said upper supporting element is of skeleton form.

The rear conveyor mechanism is prevented from tilting on the uppersupporting element through the medium of a pair of links, each of whichis pivoted at its upper end, as at 113, to a channel iron 99 or 100 andis provided with openings 114 with which selectively engages a lockingpin 115 carried by an extension 116 at the rear of the supportingelement 26. See Figures 1 and 2. As before stated, the turn table forthe lower supporting element is constructed in the same 'manner as theturn table for the upper supporting element, and for the purpose oflocking the turn table from movement after one or both of the supportin`elements has been adjusted to the desire position, the opposed plates ofeach turn table are formed with a series of openings, and the openingsin one plate are adapted to align with the openings on the other plateand adaped to extend through two pairs of alignin openings are removablelocking pins 11%.

All the shafts are to run in suitable bearing boxes and are to be madeof suitable size and material to insure sufiicient strength. All chains,both cutters, sprocket and conveyor, are to be made of standard materialto insure against breakage- The pair of gathering devices each revolvesto the center and are intended to cut their way under a pile of loosecoal or into a standing shot, and in doing this, causes the coal to becarried to the center of the apron at the forward end thereof and fromthere it will be deposited onto the front conjusting the conveyormechanisms to. the

point desired and further provide whereby the conveyor mechanisms can besimultaneousl; adjusted or adjusted independently yof eac other. vThepivoted section of the front conveyor permits of the same being adjustedto various inclined positions from the position shown in Figure 1.Themal chine can be shifted to the desired fpoin't through the medium ofthe driving mechanism for the truck and can also be shifted into a pileof loose coal or towards a standmg shot during the operation of thegathering and conveying mechanism.

It is thou ht that the many advantages of a coal gat ering and loadingmachine, in accordance with this invention, can be readily understood,and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustratedand described, yet it is to be understood. that changes in the detailsof construction can be had which will fall within the scope of theinvention as claimed.

What I claim is i 1. In a coal athering and loading machine, a motorriven truck, an upper and a. lower supporting element arranged insuperposed Ispacedv relation above and extending lengthwise of thetruck, said lower element extending forwardl of the front end of thetruck, a turn ta le interposed between the lower of said elements andthe truck, a turn table interposed between said elements, said turntablesproviding for the independent shifting of said elements, a frontconveyor mechanism for receiving coal from gathering devices and havingan adjustable -forward Aportion and a rear portion rigidly secured tothe forward end of said lower element, a rear conveyor mechanismsupported on and extendin rearwardly from and further adjustab yconnected to said upper element and having its forward end overlapped byand spaced from the rear end of the front conveyor mechanism; and meanscarried by the forward end of said lower element and connected with theforward portion of the front conveyor mechanism for adjusting the same.

2. In a coal gathering and loading machine a motor driven truck, asupporting element extending lengthwise thereof, ar-

ranged thereover in spaced relation with respect thereto and furtherprojecting from the forward end of the truck, a turn table interposedbetween said element and the truck, a conveyor mechanism securedintermediate its ends to the forward end of said lsupporting element,that part of said conveyor mechanism extending forwardly of said elementbeing adjustable, and means supported from the forward end of saidelement and connected with that portion' of said mechanism extendingforwardly of said element for angularly adjusting such portion.

3. In a.l coal gathering and loading machine a motor driven truck, asupporting element extending lengthwise thereof, arranged thereover inspaced relation with respect thereto and further projecting from theforward end of the truck, a turn table interposed between said elementandthe truck, a conveyor mechanism secured intermediate its ends to theforward end of said supporting element, that part of said conveyormechanism extending forwardly of said element being adjustable, a motordriven. means supported from the forward end of said element andconnected with that portion of said mechanism extended forwardly of saidelement for angularly adjusting such portion.

4, In a coal gathering and loading machine a front conveyor mechanism.formed of an inclined and a longitudinal portion, a rear conveyormechanism formed of a short and a long longitudinal portion and aninclined intermediate portion, a motor driven truck, a pair ofsupporting elements arranged in superposed, spaced relation andpositioned over said truck andv further extending lengthwise thereof,means .fo-r con- In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signa.

ture hereto.

WALTER E. cox.

'90 necting the inclined portion of the front

